5 stars supporting Johnny Depp in his trial against Amber Heard, from Fantastic Beasts director David Yates and his Pirates of the Caribbean co-star Penélope Cruz, to his ex Winona Ryder

May 3 , 2022

Ex Winona Ryder and friend Penelope Cruz have publicly thrown their weight behind Johnny Depp during his trial. Photos: AFP, EPA-EFE, DPA

Exes Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder both released supporting statements for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, and even Sia said he’s ‘clearly the victim’ on Twitter

Penélope Cruz said Depp showed her ‘sweetness, protection and kindness’, while Fantastic Beasts director David Yates spoke of his professionalism and ‘decency’ on set

From allegations of drug use and painting on fake bruises, to the bizarre issue of faecal matter on bedsheets, the details of Johnny Depp’s ongoing defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard have had Hollywood hooked since mid-April.

Johnny Depp in the Virginia courtroom where he is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for libel after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse”. Photo: AP

As more details of their tumultuous marriage emerge, many celebrities are speaking up in support of Depp, who is currently in the process of being publicly cross-examined by Heard’s legal team.

So which stars have taken Depp’s side in this legal battle?

1. Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis

Winona Ryder dated Johnny Depp in the early 90s. Photo: @winonaryderofficial/Instagram

Despite Depp’s failed relationships with actress Winona Ryder and French singer Vanessa Paradis (with whom he shares two children), his two exes still seem to think highly of him. In a separate libel case filed by Depp’s team against UK tabloid The Sun for labelling him a “wife-beater”, Ryder and Paradis came to Depp’s defence by releasing witness statements testifying that he was never abusive toward them.

Ryder’s statement said that, “The idea that he is an incredibly violent person is the farthest thing from the Johnny I knew and loved. He was never, never violent towards me. He has never been violent or abusive towards anybody I have seen.”

Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp were a couple for 14 years and have two children together. Photo: @nostalgiadiariess/Instagram

Similarly, Paradis wrote that, “From my personal experience of many years, I can say [Depp] was never violent or abusive to me.”